Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Review: A Christmas Haven by Cindy Woodsmall, Erin Woodsmall


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My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

For fans of holiday romances and Amish life comes a new Christmas tale of surprising expectations and discovering miracles.

Old Order Amish Ivy Zook is wrestling with her need to shed her community's ways so she can grow the business of her dreams: planning parties. As long as she's stuck living without modernization, she can barely get her business on its feet. But if she leaves too soon, she'd cause trouble for her sister, Holly, who is planning her wedding to Joshua Smucker. All of their plans become twice as complicated when an old car crashes into the storefront of Greene's Pharmacy, carrying a Swartzentruber (ultra-conservative sect) Amish man, Arlan, and his very ill sister.

The Zooks take in Arlan and Madga, tending to the woman's illness and Arlan begins helping around the family farm. Ivy and Arlan are on different tracks, one wanting to leave her community and the other to return to his. But both young people are trying to discover what God has in store for their futures and what miracles might lie around the corner this Christmas season.


My Review

I loved how this book continued the story of Holly and Joshua from the first book as a subplot! The main character is Holly's sister, Ivy, who is struggling to balance her past and future while she is attempting to make a major life transition. Also in limbo are Arlan and Magda, young adult siblings who are on the run from their family. I was surprised by the differences between the Amish and Swartzentruber Amish and the prejudices each have about the other. I enjoyed that Ivy and Arlan spoke plainly and unapologetically with each other about their disagreements, but still developed a friendship based on mutual respect. It was interesting to see how the more time they spent with each other, the less they disagreed and the more they re-evaluated their priorities and choices. A sweet romance set in a lovely place during a festive time of year!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



Don't miss the first book in An Amish Christmas Romance series . . .

Heidi Reads... The Christmas Remedy by Cindy Woodsmall, Erin Woodsmall


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Synopsis

When an Old Order Amish woman takes a job at a small-town pharmacy struggling to survive in a world of "big box" stores, her motive is to help her Plain community. But the advent of the holiday season brings an unusual mystery to the surface--and possibly love.

Twenty-four-year-old Holly Zook lives a unique life for a young Amish woman. Years ago, her bishop allowed her to continue her education and become the lead technician for Greene's Pharmacy, an old-timey drugstore that looks out for the Amish community--a group largely without secure healthcare plans. She knows she can't marry and hold onto her professional job. She's Amish, and she can only have one or the other, so she spurns love and works toward addressing treatable diseases--like the one that claimed her father's life.

As long as Holly continues to avoid Joshua Smucker, the one man who draws her like a warm hearth in winter, she should be fine. When something unexpected threatens Greene's Pharmacy, Holly and Joshua must work together to unravel what's happened and find the "missing" patient before the Board of Pharmacy shuts them down. As the snows of December arrive, with Christmas in the air, will Holly succumb to the generous spirit of the season?

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Review: Marry Me at Dawn by Lucinda Whitney


https://amzn.to/35LfuyZ

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

He’s afraid of commitment. She yearns for a family of her own. How can they turn a marriage of convenience into happily-ever-after?

To Damian Vaughn, image is everything. As CEO of the family business and heir to a fortune, he lives his life above reproach, not wanting to repeat his father’s mistakes that almost brought the company to ruin.

Gabriela Romano has discovered she’ll never be able to bear children. Distraught and still recovering from surgery, she leaves for an extended vacation in the Azores Islands, far away from her family’s prying eyes and the constant reminders of what she’ll never have.

When social services drop off a baby they say legally belongs to Damian, he knows it’s not true, but the media will be quick to judge if the news leaks. Desperate to avoid a disaster, he takes his lawyer’s drastic suggestion and proposes to Gabriela, a woman he’s just met. She has her own reasons for accepting, and as long as she guards her heart, she’s confident she’ll be fine.

But as sparks start to fly, Gabriela begins to wonder—how can she turn this marriage of convenience into her happily-ever-after?


My Review

It can be difficult to pull off a modern marriage of convenience story since there are so many resources nowadays and marriage isn't really viewed as viable solution in today's society. Once I turned off my they-should-have-just-done-this thinking, I loved the story and the way Damian and Gabriela interacted and bonded over his daughter. I think if they had known each other just a little more prior, I wouldn't have had to suspend my disbelief. Anyway, the mystery of who Claire's father is as well as the blossoming romance with the right amount of tension kept me reading and it was lovely to escape into the settings of Portugal, New York City, and an estate in the country. The lives of Gabriela and Damian revolve around Claire and her schedule, which is totally realistic of a new baby. I liked getting to know Damian's mother and grandmother, and seeing the way Gabriela fit naturally into their lives. Some intrigue comes into play with Damian's public persona and company, and there is a surprising twist that I did not anticipate. A strong and enjoyable conclusion to the Romano family series!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



The Romano Family series follows the stories of the Romano cousins of northern Portugal as they find love and their Happily-Ever-Afters. Each book may be read as a stand-alone. 

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Review: The Trouble With Christmas by Robin Daniels


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My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Chrissy Jensen lives in a town full of Christmas fanatics. Too bad she hates everything about the holiday. Aside from her justifiable grievances, the endless barrage of displays and events is enough to make any girl gag. Nothing has ever been able to thaw her frozen yuletide heart. But when her brother brings a handsome friend home for the holiday, she starts to reconsider her contemptuous attitude. The deliciously yummy house guest LOVES Christmas. Pretending to share his sentiment couldn’t hurt. Right?

Wrong. The sudden personality transplant doesn’t sit well with her best friend Nate. He perpetuates the deception in order to get even, which causes an agonizing dilemma. Now, Chrissy must keep up the charade—with a cheerful disposition—or risk being caught in her lie.


My Review

This story was so fun to read! Full disclosure- I'm kind of over small towns that embrace Christmas pageantry at an unhealthy level, but I chose to read this one since I think this author's writing style is fresh. I really enjoyed the characterization and hidden love angle, and I loved Chrissy's quirky family and best friend Nate especially. It was interesting to see the reactions of Chrissy's friends and family when she joined in the madness and the realizations she comes to after letting go of her grinchiness. I appreciated that the author stayed true to Chrissy's sassy personality and didn't allow her to dissolve into a sugared cliché. Loved the themes of friendship, family, and community as well as the nice balance between humor and romance.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Saturday, October 19, 2019

Review: Wyatt by Susan May Warren


https://amzn.to/33ID1i7

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

He’s lost her twice…he’s not going to lose her again...

NHL Hockey Goalie Wyatt Marshall has everything--fame, money and a thriving career. But he’s hiding the two things that matter most...a career-ending injury, and his broken heart. He’s been in love with Coco Stanley since she walked into his life at age fourteen, a foster child for the Marshall family. She stole his heart years later, when, after a secret tryst, she returned to her home country of Russia. But she won’t let him back into her life—and he can’t figure out why.

She’s harboring a secret that could cost lives...

Coco Stanley is tired of living her life undercover. Or at least, with an assumed name, always pretending to be someone she’s not. And that’s not the only secret she’s harboring. If Wyatt discovers the real reason she left him, it might just destroy him. She’s resigned herself to loving him from afar...

But when he discovers she’s in danger...

Wyatt is horrified when he learns Coco has been shot and left in Russia, her fate unknown. There is nothing—nothing—that will stop him from finding her. So what if he’s not one of his super-heroic brothers, not a Ranger, not a SEAL...Wyatt is a hockey goalie, a special kind of crazy brave. Except, is he brave enough to face the secret Coco is keeping, or will it destroy everything he’s hoped for?

What will it cost them to save her?

What Wyatt and Coco don’t know is that revenge is stalking her and bringing her home just might cost them their long-awaited happy ending.

Continue the breath-taking Montana Marshalls series!


https://amzn.to/2P1gdX2


My Review

I think I'm developing an anxiety disorder from reading this series! It's hitting my threshold for suspense and angst (which really isn't hard to do). It was a relief to learn more of Coco's backstory and secrets, although one surprise made everything more complicated but also awesome. It was hard for me to understand the choices she made- I could see at least three more preferable options, but the author did a good job of showing how Coco's circumstances and life experience made it hard for her to see things from another perspective. Wyatt is a bit of a headcase, but I liked how it was easy to see how different he is from his brothers. His verbal spewing when he is overwhelmed is hilarious! His emotional loyalty and devotion to Coco is endearing and their sensitive moments together were special. They both learned some important spiritual lessons (the supporting characters sharing the insights got a bit preachy) but the emotion of the moments really came through. I loved seeing more of Ruby and York and can't wait to see their story play out in the next book where I hope all the intrigue will finally be resolved!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)











Friday, October 18, 2019

Review: Mostly Perfect by Heather B. Moore


https://amzn.to/2nlSXXD

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Generations of secrets. An ancient curse. Love has never been an option.

Lauren Ambrose has made a life for herself as a fledging artist, far from the ancient secrets and cobwebbed past of her family’s historic estate in Texas. Generations of the Ambrose women have suffered at the hands of a curse, and the last place Lauren wants to spend time is at the Ambrose Estate, among the tragedies of the past. But when her grandmother, matriarch of the Ambrose fortune, requires Lauren to attend an urgent business meeting, she reluctantly travels home.

Nick Matthews is ready for a battle. Lillian Ambrose, co-founder of Ambrose Oil, has agreed to hear his investment idea, but no one has ever successfully partnered with the business tycoon. When he arrives at Ambrose Estate, prepared with weeks of research, the last person he expects to meet is Lauren, a dynamic and captivating woman with a past full of secrets. As Nick gets to know Lauren, he discovers she is mostly perfect for him, except for one, major drawback . . . The curse that has the power to destroy everything between them.


My Review

While I didn't care for the writing style of the previous book in the series which is written by a different author, I think it helped me to understand the backstory of the family and the curse when I read this book. I loved Lauren's personality and her quiet confidence in herself. She knows what she wants and what she likes. It was easy for me to relate to her boho artistic vibe. Nick is definitely too good to be true! He is kind, charming, and intrigued by how different Lauren is from the rest of her family. It was pretty sweet how much he loved her art and kept reappearing in her life. Her fear of a long-term relationship because of the curse was hard to swallow, but it's the premise of this slightly paranormal series, so I just had to run with it. Overall it was just fun to read about two interesting people falling in love and how they overcame their hangups.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Review: Tailor Made by Annette Lyon


https://amzn.to/2momfF8

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Two people. An impossible task. A traitor in their midst.

Sofi’s mother desperately needs medicine, and Sofi will do anything to get it—including a one-month stay at the Brunberg mansion in Helsinki, the capitol. There she’ll spend her days at the Kangas Tailor Shop, knitting silk stockings and other items from sunup to sundown for the biggest wedding of the decade. If she can do it, Sofi will have the ability to get the medicine her mother needs, with money to spare.

But Sofi’s safe world of knitting needles and thread is turned upside down when she finds herself in the middle of political intrigue. Antti, tailor and owner of the shop, Sofi uncover a plot to sabotage the Brunberg daughter’s wedding and threaten to bring Russia’s fist onto the Grand Duchy, removing the Finns’ self-governance, and possibly lead the countries into war.

As Sofi and Antti work together to save their country, she can’t help falling in love with the unassuming and attractive head tailor, though she knows she can’t have him. Her country and her family need her, and when her job is done, she’ll go home to Porvoo, never to see him again.

As they race to stop the traitor, the battle in her heart intensifies, and she fears that the victor won’t be love.


My Review

I don't think I've ever read a book set in Finland, so I especially enjoyed learning a bit about their history with Sweden and Russia through the political intrigue and social customs woven into the story. There is a definite feeling of pressure as Sofi works to the bone to provide for her brother and sick mother, as well as the impossible deadline given to Antti to fulfill the clothing order for the royal wedding. Sofi is the type of character I find it easy to like- self-sacrificing, hard-working, intelligent, and optimistic. She gives hope and solutions to Antti when he is at his wit's end and they make a great team. The treasonous plot to derail the wedding added an element of suspense and the determination of Sofi and Antti to defend their country proved their loyalty and brought about the happily ever after they didn't dare hope for.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Review: An Unwelcome Suitor by Ashtyn Newbold


https://amzn.to/2nlBRcp

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Falling in love with her sister's suitor had never been part of her plan.

After losing her parents, Elizabeth Watts and her two sisters are taken under the care of their great-aunt, who has promised them her estate upon her death. From a young age, however, Elizabeth has learned not to expect to keep things that can be taken away. An unforeseen change in the will reveals that Elizabeth and her sisters may have the estate, but only if the eldest weds Dr. Luke Pembroke, their great-aunt’s beloved physician, who needs the estate just as desperately as they do.

Knowing her sister to be in love with another, Elizabeth is appalled when she begins courting Dr. Pembroke, intent to sacrifice her own happiness. Nothing if not determined, Elizabeth makes plans to sabotage the courtship. With her schemes underway, she quickly learns that her sister’s suitor is nothing if not clever—nothing except, perhaps, handsome, kind, and infuriatingly charming. When the feelings between them become impossible to ignore, Elizabeth discovers that love has a scheme all its own, and it might just be the most determined of all.


My Review

This was a fun Regency story with Elizabeth's scheming and the misadventures that result. She has a good sense of humor when things go wrong for the most part, although she is determined to see her older sister marry for love and just doesn't give up. She has some character growth as her eyes are opened to the real circumstances of people she has judged prematurely, and I liked her more as the book went on and she developed some depth and humility. Luke is patient with Elizabeth's antics but doesn't let her get away with them and finds them entertaining as well as frustrating. They start out as enemies, then turn to frenemies, and their relationship continues along the natural path to friends and more. I just had to keep reading to see how the complex situation of inheriting the estate would turn out!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



An Unwelcome Suitor is part of the ENTANGLED INHERITANCE series, a set of stand-alone regency romance novels. Look for the complete collection of stories by these incredible authors:



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A Provision for Love by Heather Chapman
 

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His Unexpected Heiress by Sally Britton 


The Rivals of Rosennor Hall by Rebecca Connolly

 

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Review: The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden


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My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building his very successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before it spirals out of control, he returns to his ancestral home to save his brother and sister before it's too late.

As a junior botanist for the Smithsonian, Annabelle Larkin has been charged with the impossible task of gaining access to the notoriously private Delacroix plant collection. If she fails, she will be out of a job and the family farm in Kansas will go under. She has no idea that in gaining entrance to the Delacroix world, she will unwittingly step into a web of dangerous political intrigue far beyond her experience.

Unable to deny her attraction to the reclusive business tycoon, Annabelle will be forced to choose between her heart and loyalty to her country. Can Gray and Annabelle find a way through the storm of scandal without destroying the family Gray is fighting to save?


My Review

I'm always impressed by the amount of historical detail and circumstances the author weaves into the story that I had never considered, especially at a time when more women are making their way into the workforce. It makes me excited to think about these pioneers and how they contributed to our nation. Washington D.C. is a fascinating setting and I loved seeing the city through the eyes of Annabelle. She is driven with such purpose, whether it be analyzing grain samples or persuading someone to her way of thinking. Gray is more complex, and the pair was an interesting match. I didn't sense much romantic chemistry between them, but rather a deep respect for the challenge they present each other and the unlikely friendship that blossoms. Secrets and political motivations threaten their relationship, but I admired their integrity as they navigate the obstacles they endure.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)